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Sportsverifier - CAF Awards 2024, Ademola Lookman and the one things amiss!

On the 16th of December 2024, many sports lovers especially football fans and enthusiasts gathered at Marrakesh, Morocco to put names on a long standing yearly award ceremony.
The ceremony was put together by Confederation of African Football, CAF and was graciously attended by football heavy weights, former and active football players that also included CAF and FIFA presidents, Dr Patrice Motsepe and Gianni Infantino.

It was an entertaining event. The highlight of the event was the individuals awards with the most anticipated one, the Best player award deservedly won by Ademola Lookman. The Atalanta Winger/forward has had a stellar performance all through the year. Including his beastly performance at the Europa League finals that saw him creating and breaking records with a hattrick of spectacular goals.


I believe everyone knew he was that African who had the most standout performance throughout the year and there was no doubt about it. No disrespect of course to the other nominees who competed in the category with him.

I however have a reservation about these awards and why there also seems to be discrepancies in related categories and nominations. The most prominent for me was the Men's Goalkeeper of the year award. It was won by the South African shot stopper Ronwen Williams who plays for Mamelodi Sundowns in the South African premier league. Why I was encouraged that a player who plays for a club in Africa could be voted as the best out of Africa, I was disappointed that when the CAF FIFPRO Africa Men's XI was announced, he was not the named keeper. Onana was found inbetween the sticks and it gives me some chills of unsolved puzzles. Why?

If Ronwen is the African best goalkeeper, doesn't that make him the one to take the first line in best XI from the region. If the voters in these categories were different as some would have me believe, what data or materials were made available to (the voters) guide them in the voting process.
It is just a twist that seem inappropriate to me. In all, the players awarded deserved their wins.

The CAF 2024 award winners are listed below;

Men's Player of the Year: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta/Nigeria)

Women's Player of the Year: Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride/Zambia)

Men's Goalkeeper of the Year: Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns/South Africa)

Women's Goalkeeper of the Year: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC/Nigeria)

Men's Interclub Player of the Year: Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns/South Africa)

Women's Interclub Player of the Year: Sanaa Mssoudy (AS FAR/Morocco)

Men's Young Player of the Year: Lamine Camara (AS Monaco/Senegal)

Women's Young Player of the Year: Doha El Madani (AS FAR/Morocco)

Men's Coach of the Year: Emerse Fae (Cote d’Ivoire)

Women's Coach of the Year: Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe)

Men's National Team of the Year: Cote d’Ivoire

Women's National Team of the Year: Nigeria

Men's Club of the Year: Al Ahly (Egypt)

Women's Club of the Year: TP Mazembe (DR Congo)

Men’s Referee of the Year: Mutaz Ibrahim (Libya)

Women’s Referee of the Year: Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco)

Men’s Assistant Referee of the Year: Elvis Guy Noupue Nguegoue (Cameroon)

Women’s Assistant Referee of the Year: Diana Chikotesha (Zambia)

Goal of the Year: Mabululu (Angola)


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